The alarm went off at 4:15am … by 4:45am we were all out the door.  This year we had an addition to our group … along with my Husband, myself, child #1 & her BFF was the BFF’s brother!  That’s right boy genius came out for his 1st Black Friday experience!!!  (he’s called boy genius, because he’s ranked #2 in the 11th grade!)  Child #2 & 3 stayed at Grandma’s the night before!  So, I had three teenagers camped out on my living room floor just waiting for the rush of the Black Friday experience!

We all head out the door for the traditional run to Dunkin’ Donuts …… for the 1st time on Black Friday THEY WERE CLOSED!!!  I was really bummed out not to get my Dunkin’ coffee … what was I going to run on??  After that disappointment, we decide to do a drive by of Walmart …. not to go in, but to show Boy Genius what the line looks like.  Again, for the 1st time on Black Friday our Walmart (that’s a 24hr. one), decides to stay open for 24hrs and not close for a few hours to stock!! That means no lines!!!  We decide to head right to Best Buy!!!  They had the Wii games as a door buster … the line at Best Buy was insane & it was cold out!  Now we’re talking .. lines, cold weather & a Black Friday experience for a 1st timer!  I did get video of the line at Best Buy, but I still have to figure out how to get it online.  Once we got in the store it was pure insanity!  In a store that is already layed out with narrow aisles, it seems even smaller once you add shopping cartes to the equation!!  Not realizing that there was a lady behind me (wanting to speed ahead of me) with a cart …. did I mention Boy Genius was watching her almost ram me in my behind and felt it would add to the fun of the morning if he didn’t give me a heads up!  Anyway, this woman ended up ramming my Husband in the back of the legs (which we all found funny!).  A Black Friday doesn’t go by that he doesn’t get hit by a crazy lady with a cart!   After being in Best Buy for only about 25 min. we were done .. now to go check out.  That was the long part … about a 50 min. wait!!  Here’s a tip to everyone:  One person should go find all the items you want, while the other stands in line waiting for the other person to bring the items to them to pay for!!  Please learn from our mistake!

To recap the whole morning (in order) ….. Best Buy, Old Navy, Target, Kohl’s, McDonald’s for breakfast, the Mall, Soup Kitchen at church (kids volunteered to help), Kmart and then finally Walmart!

We’re already looking forward to next year …. to think it all started with one person, then two, then four and now five people!

The tradition will live on!!

The Domestic Mom